Hawkeyes Football: Wound Up and Rewind After Iowa Blasts Northern Iowa 55-0

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IOWA CITY, IA – SEPTEMBER 19: Running back Nathan McNeil #5 of the Iowa Hawkeyes is congratulated by quarterback Hank Brown #9 after a touchdown in the first half against the Northern Iowa Panthers on September 19, 2026 at Kinnick Stadium, in Iowa City, Iowa. (Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images) | Getty Images

It was hard not to get wound up watching this one. Iowa’s offense rolled over UNI like a tsunami. Iowa got the ball first and immediately broke the dam open on a 75-yard drive that started with a pass play on first down and was peppered with an alternating variety of rushing and passing plays. Freshman Mason Woods took a pass to the 2-yard line, marking his first reception as a Hawkeye, and then Nathan McNeil capped off the drive on the next play with his first touchdown as a Hawkeye. Speaking of firsts, that’s exactly where we need to start.

So Many Firsts

The sheer magnitude of what transpired on Saturday is wild. While the list is too long to name everyone, here are the milestone moments that defined the onslaught:

First-Time Grabs: Five players caught their first pass of the year (Nathan McNeil, Braeden Jackson, Jarriett Buie, Mason Woods, and Dayton Howard).
Back in the Box: Addison Ostrenga caught his first touchdown since 2024, a massive emotional milestone following his brutal season-ending Achilles injury against Iowa State last year.
Turnover Chain: Jacob Wallace nabbed his first career interception in the 2nd quarter, followed closely by Rashad Godfrey Jr.’s interception in the 3rd.

Freshmen and Redshirt Freshmen Contributions

There is significance in that if a player has been in Iowa’s system for a full year before seeing their first material action, it helps you understand where in the world they came from. And there is no better example of this than Braeden Jackson, who redshirted in 2025, during Saturday’s game. Braeden scored Iowa’s second touchdown of the game on their second series and had an explosive 62-yard touchdown run. Jackson finished with 11 rushes for 125 yards (an 11.4 average), and his 1 reception for 24 yards.

True freshman linebacker Julian Manson is tied for 5th on Iowa’s defense in tackles (7), and true freshman CB Darion Jones is tied for 7th (6). Drew Campbell, who redshirted in 2025, recorded his first sack.

The 100-Yard Trifecta: A Feat Unseen Since 1983

For the first time since 1983, the Hawkeyes registered a trifecta of three different rushers who cracked the 100-yard mark in a single game – Xavier Williams (151 yards), Braeden Jackson (125), and Nathan McNeil (111 yards). The last time that happened was in a 61-10 win against Minnesota, where Owen Gill, Norm Granger and Eddie Phillips each ran for over 100 yards. Hayden Fry was the head coach in 1983, so this is the first time in the Kirk Ferentz era that this has occurred. Iowa ended the day with 422 yards, and a 10.3 rushing average.

Iowa Defense Reloads

With Bryce Hawthorne sidelined early in the second quarter, a mix of defensive linemen rotated throughout the remainder of the game. Luke Gaffney, Hawthorne’s backup on the depth chart, came in for immediate relief. Will Hubert stepped up significantly at defensive tackle, and posted the line’s highest Pro Football Focus (PFF) defensive grade of the day at 83.7. Drew Campbell and Joseph Anderson saw increased action on the edge. Kahmari Brown, a transfer from Elon, led all defensive linemen with 28 snaps to keep the front fresh. Following three games, Iowa’s defense is once again a nationally top ten defense for volume metrics – Points Per Game (PPG): 4.3 / Tied 5th; Yards Per Game (YPG): 176.7 / 7th; First Downs Allowed: 25 / Top 5; Yards Per Carry (YPC): 2.2 / Top 10.

Special Teams

Special teams were understandably a concern to start the season. Boston Everitt’s punting continues to improve with a 58-yard boot this week. Evan James handled all returns and did a capable job. In a deviation from Iowa’s previous year’s script, they never had to attempt a field goal nor had a return for a touchdown yet still scored 55 points. The one strong concern was that Caden Buhr had a blocked extra point in the fourth quarter.

Injuries

Tyler Brown did start at strong safety. Bryce Hawthorne left the game early after absorbing an illegal low chop block, but later was seen moving around on the sideline, riding a stationary bike, and had his helmet on. Post game comment from Ferentz was positive, so time will tell. Brevin Doll did not play due to an undisclosed injury. Kamari Moulton and DJ Vonnahme did not see any action as they rested up for Michigan. LJ Phillips continues to be out as well.

Closing Thoughts

The most encouraging part of rewatching this game wasn’t just the 55-0 score; it was the relentless efficiency. In years past, Iowa might have taken its foot off the gas after an early cushion. Instead, when backup quarterback Jeremy Hecklinski entered with about 8 minutes left in the second quarter and stayed in to start the third, the offense kept its foot down. Putting up 42 points in a single half is something Hawkeye fans haven’t seen since 2005 against Ball State, and it was immensely satisfying to watch.

More importantly, the game offered a glimpse into how Tim Lester is quietly evolving this offense. Even without taking long pass attempts downfield, Iowa moved the ball dynamically. Lester used modern motion and smart spacing to let playmakers pick up yards efficiently.

It would appear Lester held back his main playbook layers to keep future opponents guessing. The next three games will reveal the true strategy, but it’s comforting to know that even a simplified version of Lester’s offense can put up historic numbers just in time for Michigan.

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